


Queer Eye: We're In Japan! And There Are Pro Heroes Everywhere!!

by night_of_the_living_trashcan



Category: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy RPF, Queer Eye: We're In Japan! RPF, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Author Is Sleep Deprived, Canon Queer Character, Crack Crossover, Crack Treated Seriously, Established Relationship, Fluff and Crack, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The Author Regrets Everything, and his work was never finished, i blame tik tok, i care less about canon and more about wholesome interactions sorry i DO make the rules, i finally understand what david gilber meant, kinda OOC, no beta we die like men, should i tag that????????, sorry - Freeform, this isn't a fic it's a cry for help, when he said god had cursed him for his hubris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:14:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22263190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/night_of_the_living_trashcan/pseuds/night_of_the_living_trashcan
Summary: I blame this video: https://www.tiktok.com/@myhsterie/video/6773776945856417030Concerned children, husband, and class of Aizawa Shouta, aka Eraserhead, nominate the man in question for Queer Eye: We're In Japan!I might end up adding more to this series in the future, but who's to say currently.
Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Kaminari Denki/Shinsou Hitoshi (implied)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 87





	Queer Eye: We're In Japan! And There Are Pro Heroes Everywhere!!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tiktok user @myhsterie](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=tiktok+user+%40myhsterie), [brighteyed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/brighteyed/gifts).



> [Here's that tiktok.](https://www.tiktok.com/@myhsterie/video/6773776945856417030)
> 
> THE FAB FIVE'S QUIRKS! (@carryingstarlightinherwake on here came up with the abilities; I came up with the names. Except for Kiko's; that's all me babey)
> 
> *Present Mic voice*
> 
> Bobby Berk! Quirk: Home Design! He can rapidly assemble, repair, and redecorate houses!
> 
> Karamo Brown! Quirk: Motivation! He is incredibly persuasive in motivational speeches!
> 
> Tan France! Quirk: Invisible Armor! He can infuse a single piece of clothing in an outfit with defensive properties!
> 
> Mizuhara Kiko! Quirk: Glow! Her skin always has a youthful glow to it, heightening her already natural beauty!
> 
> Antoni Porowski! Quirk: Food Taster! He can both hide poison in meals and detect even the most untraceable ones immediately!
> 
> Jonathan Van Ness! Quirk: Hair! He can control every individual strand of hair on his scalp!
> 
> ***
> 
> Does this perfectly follow a Queer Eye episode? Not really, but that's okay. Probably. Does this really rush towards the end? Maybe, but I can fix that in post ig?
> 
> Anyway, I'm not fluent in Japanese, by any definition of the word, but I do know quite a bit of it, now, so that'll be used (hopefully appropriately) throughout the fic, haha.
> 
> Also, to those who knew this was in the works, I know I said I was going to get this out a lot sooner than I did, but. Life sucks sometimes. :/
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day???????

Episode 1: 自分を愛する方法 | Jibun O Aisuru Houhou | How to Love Yourself

Another day of filming, another week of improving everybody's lives, one remodel and makeover at a time! As the Fab Five and Kiko gathered at their Japanese headquarters, Jonathan pulled out the tablet with all their latest participant's information and cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention.

"Alright, y'all, listen up, 'cause this one's probably gonna be more work than we've ever done before," he said, trying to hold back a smile.

Tan oohed. "Who is it?"

Jonathan was practically vibrating with excitement. "Okay, so -- and I know you're all gonna freak out; _I'm_ freaking out -- he's actually a _Pro Hero_."

Gasps and squeals of excitement sounded from everyone present.

"Ohmygod, shut up," Bobby said, his jaw dropped.

"Seriously?!" Tan exclaimed, grinning excitedly.

"Like, an _actual, honest-to-God_ , Pro Hero?!" Karamo asked.

Antoni was rendered speechless, covering his gaping mouth with his hands, and Kiko just clapped eagerly, bouncing up and down in her seat.

Jonathan held up a finger and continued to read. " _Technically_ , he's an _underground_ Pro Hero ("Ooh, mysterious," Bobby remarked.) as well as a _teacher_ at one of the _many_ prestigious hero schools here in Japan, so I'm not allowed to say his hero name on camera, but he is Shouta Aizawa."

"かっこいい, right?" Karamo asked Kiko ( _kakkoii_ , cool).

She nodded enthusiastically. "すごくかっこいいですよ," she agreed ( _sugoku kakkoii desu yo_ , extremely cool).

"Our Mr. Aizawa is 32 years old, married to his husband of _eleven years_ , ("Aww!" Tan cooed.) and father of two wonderful children! It was actually his husband, a Hizashi Yamada, their kids, Hitoshi and Eri Aizawa, and one of his classes who nominated him."

He pulled up a video of a man with very long blond hair tied in a ponytail explaining why he thought his husband needed to be on Queer Eye. In perfect English, Yamada said, "Listen, I love my husband, of course I do, but the man does _not_ know how to take care of himself. I understand that he's incredibly busy, what with his heroics and teaching, and I get that sometimes you just don't have the energy to properly take care of yourself, but he lives in a _sleeping bag_ , and I haven't seen him eat anything besides protein pouches in _years_."

Antoni looked horrified.

"Yikes," Karamo agreed.

The next video came up, one of a tall and tired boy with purple hair and eyes holding up a young girl with long white hair and red eyes. She also had a small horn growing from her forehead. In Japanese, the boy started, "He doesn't like to act like it, but he cares a _lot_ about the people around him. It's probably because he's one of the best heroes ever, but he always puts others before him, oftentimes to his own detriment. We just want him to be able to care about himself, too."

The little girl began speaking now. "He's done so much for me and Hito-chan," she said, timid but earnest. "We just want to do something good for him, too."

"His kids are so cute," Tan muttered.

"I know, right?!" Jonathan agreed. "His class couldn't be filmed for legal reasons, but they all sent this card." He pulled out a large poster from behind the couch everyone was sitting at. In the center, in giant, yellow marker, read, "クラス３年Ａ組は相澤先生が大好きですよ！今、相澤先生自身も可愛がってください！" ( _Kurasu san-nen ei-gumi wa Aizawa-sensei ga daisuki desu yo!_ Class 1-A loves you, Aizawa-sensei! _Ima, Aizawa-sensei jishin mo kawaigatte kudasai!_ Now, please love yourself, too!*)

"That's so sweet of them," Bobby said, hands over his heart.

"Now, to give us all an idea of what we're working with," Jonathan said, pulling up a video of Aizawa himself.

The man certainly looked a lot older than his age with incredibly tired eyes, long and greasy black hair, patches of overgrown stubble, and dirty, wrinkled clothes. Even his voice sounded exhausted as he said, in Japanese, "Everyone has been telling me that I've been so stressed lately they're stressed by association, and to be frank, they're right. It's finally gotten to the point that even I think I need help. My life's honestly been falling apart since I was born, and I'd like to not make everyone else's lives fall apart. If that means helping myself, I guess that's what I'm going to do."

"I think I know what his son meant when he said he doesn't like to act like he cares even though he does," Antoni remarked.

Kiko nodded. "There's a word for that personality type. ツンデレ." ( _Tsundere_. A personality type that starts very cold towards others before gradually becoming warmer and more loving, but typically remains rather closed-off.)

"Well, let's go meet this ツンデレ!"

***

The Aizawa-Yamada residency was a small apartment in a modest complex. "Minimalist" was a kind word to describe it; it almost looked as if no one lived there, even though Aizawa immediately greeted the team, politely requesting that they do not hug him.

"Well, this is my home. Really, though, I mostly use it as a place to sleep," he admitted, looking away. "All my school work I just keep at the school, and my hero business tends to stay with the police, and I just don't tend to be here as often as the rest of my family."

"Well, could you maybe show us around the place?" Bobby asked, looking around the nearly empty rooms almost despairingly.

When their interpreter went to translate for Aizawa, the man told her, "You don't need to translate for me. I understand English perfectly fine; I just don't speak it very well."

"We noticed your husband speaks English flawlessly; is he American?" Tan wondered out loud as the group wandered past a kitchen where a coffee machine was the main attraction.

"Half-American. He's bilingual. Ah, this is my children's room. They said you're allowed to look inside, but that's it."

This looked like the only room with any sort of personality, with stuffed animals lying in a neat pile on a lower bunk bed and Pro Hero posters along the walls closer to the top bunk. It was tidy, but lived in, which was what mattered.

"How old are your kids?" Karamo asked as they closed the door again.

"Hitoshi turns eighteen in a month, and Eri is eight. I... Hizashi and I adopted them around two years ago. They were both from rather awful homes, so we decided to become a family together." With a melancholic expression, he sighed, "I just want us to _actually_ feel like a family before Hitoshi leaves."

Next up was Aizawa and Yamada's bedroom. Just like the rest of the house, it was incredibly plain, aside from a yellow sleeping bag in the closet. Even the Western-style king-size bed had drab, uninviting colors.

"Both of us are so busy," Aizawa explained, "that we only really use this room for sleeping."

Jonathan began investigating the attached bathroom. "This is a surprising amount of hair products," he said almost warily.

"Not mine; Hizashi's."

The other man paused. "Do _you_ use any products? For your hair or otherwise?"

He shrugged. "Not really. I mean, I try to bathe regularly, but sometimes I just don't have the time. And other than that I don't do... anything."

Antoni wandered back into the kitchen and began rummaging through the cupboards and fridge. Aside from some sugary cereals and protein packs (and the aforementioned coffee machine), there wasn't anything edible in sight. "Does your family often eat here?" he asked, staring at barren cupboards aghast.

"Just breakfast, and even then, it's usually easier to just grab a protein pouch and leave. Lunch we have at school, and dinner is usually take-out or from the convenience store."

"I see. Do you know how to cook?"

"I know how to make toast." He wasn't blushing, but the way he looked away said "embarrassed."

Bobby looked like he was already making plans for how to make this house a true home. "Mr. Aizawa, what exactly would you like to get out of a home redecoration? Like, what kinds of things do you want to see that's different or improved?"

Aizawa thought for a moment. "My husband loves music; he's a radio talk show host. His favorite kind of music is pre-quirk era classic rock. Hitoshi likes more modern heavy metal, and Eri enjoys modern pop. Hitoshi, Eri, and I love cats, and we all enjoy watching the older anime _Sweetness and Lightning_ together. While Hizashi and I do like the cleanliness that comes with extreme minimalism, we wouldn't mind _any_ change to that."

The blond nodded, filing that information away for future use.

Tan came in next to borrow Aizawa. The two returned to the master bedroom, specifically to the wardrobe within. "I was going through your closet, and I noticed you don't have much there aside from an older suit, some hot pink sweatpants, and a few plain shirts. Meanwhile, your husband has incredibly nice taste in clothing," he chuckled.

The other man nodded. "He's the one with fashion sense. I sometimes wear the sweatpants with the suit jacket." He chuckled softly. "That's the same face Hizashi makes when I do that."

Tan nodded tensely. "Have you ever gone clothes shopping?"

"I'm not allowed to anymore." He led the other man back to his kids' rooms and pulled out a horrid green sweater with bright pink flowers, salmon-colored text, orange and pale pink cats, and teal and yellow ruffles at the ends of the sleeves. "I bought this for Eri."

The fashion expert tried his best to hide his dismay at the sight of it. "Oh." They stared at the ugly thing in silence. "Don't worry, Mr. Aizawa; that is what _I'm_ here for."

It was Karamo's turn after that. He sat down with Aizawa on the plain beige sofa in the living room. Speaking gently, he said, "I know you're an incredibly accomplished hero and teacher. You have a wonderful husband, two precious children, and a whole next generation of heroes who care a great deal about you. And it's very clear that you care about them just as much, if not more so. I want to help you turn that care inwards."

Aizawa was silent for a moment. Slowly, he nodded his consent.

* * *

DAY 1: 家は必ずしもホームではない | Ie wa Kanarazushimo Houmu de wa Nai | A House is Not Always a Home

Bobby decided to take Aizawa first, his husband accompanying them both. The three went to a small home improvement store and immediately went to the furniture section.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Yamada," Bobby greeted with a small bow.

The other blond grinned widely and replied in English, "Nice to meet you, too! I love your work, dude!"

"Aw, thank you! And how are you doing today, Mr. Aizawa?" Bobby asked cheerfully.

The other man began eating a protein pouch and shrugged. "Tired, but that's normal." His husband patted his shoulders comfortingly.

Bobby nodded understandingly. "You know, people often find it difficult to relax, and especially sleep, in places that don't feel familiar and safe. Places that don't really feel like _home_."

"Hmm, that would explain why I sleep better at school," Aizawa muttered.

"But that's why we're here! We're going to work together to turn your apartment into a true home."

"Hell yeah!" Yamada cheered.

The trio spent hours in that store, looking through different pieces of furniture, decorations, and other homely knickknacks. The couple had debated with each other the pros and cons of a pleather sofa for a while, Aizawa saying, "It's just fancier plastic, and it gets scratched up so easily," countered by Yamada arguing, "But they're so comfortable, though! And they're so sleek and fancy!"

"We're not a sleek and fancy couple."

"We could be!"

"What about the nice, soft couch with a recline feature?"

"Oh my god, you're right, it's so soft! If we get the reclining ones, though, are you going to start sleeping on the couch instead of with me?" He pouted.

Looking his husband of eleven years dead in the eyes, Aizawa replied, "Maybe."

"You're so mean!" Yamada wailed to the amusement of his husband.

Bobby chuckled. "You guys make me miss _my_ husband," he remarked.

Yamada's interest was immediately peaked. "Ooh, do you have any pics?" When Bobby showed him Dewey, the other blond gasped. "Oh, he's cute."

Bobby nodded with a fond grin.

Aizawa looked almost offended. "Are you cheating on me with another man's husband?" he deadpanned.

This time, it was Yamada who stared him dead in the eyes as he replied, "Maybe."

"No! He's mine! You can't have him!" Bobby whined playfully.

Eventually, the group ended up choosing the reclining soft sofa, some nice side tables, and some throw pillows and blankets. One of the pillows had a cat embroidered on it, and Aizawa had all but begged them to let him get it.

When Bobby sent Aizawa to search for other decorations he liked under the guise of them all splitting up, he pulled aside Yamada to ask, "Why _don't_ you have a cat, since your husband and kids clearly love them so much."

The other man rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, you've seen our house and heard just how little we're there. We don't exactly think we'd be able to successfully take care of one," he explained. "We'd love to have a cat, really; we just don't want to end up neglecting it, you know?"

Bobby thought for a moment. "Your son is graduating high school soon, right? And your daughter is still in elementary school. I'm pretty sure I've heard the both of you say that you'll be cutting back on work these coming years, too."

"Yeah, that's correct. Why?"

He smiled excitedly. "Well, maybe, while he's busy looking at lamps, we could try to find a cat bed and some cat toys?"

* * *

DAY 2: 体に栄養を与え、魂に栄養を与えます | Karada ni Eiyou o Atae, Tamashii ni Eiyou o Ataemasu | Nourish the Body, Nourish the Soul

This time, Aizawa brought his son with him when he met up with Antoni.

"Hello, Hitoshi," Antoni greeted. "Is it okay if I call you that?"

The purple-haired boy shrugged. "If it makes things less confusing." He appeared kind of uncomfortable being there.

"Well, it's nice to meet you," he said with a small bow.

Hitoshi bowed back. "Nice to meet you, too."

"And Mr. Aizawa, it's good to see you again," he offered the other man.

He nodded, taking a long sip of coffee.

"I know it's early," Antoni explained as he showed them into the small restaurant, "but breakfast foods are better in the morning. This is 朝ご飯, owned and operated by the wonderful Asa Ryouri." ( _a_ _sa go han_ , breakfast. "Asa Ryouri" would be said as "Ryouri Asa" by other Japanese people and is spelled 料理朝 and means "cooking, morning.")

An older woman came over to greet the group with a bow for the Aizawas and a hug for Antoni. "Good morning, everyone," she said with a smile.

”Ms. Ryouri will be helping us learn how to make a few simple and easy breakfast meals," Antoni continued, "since your family primarily gathers for breakfast at home."

She nodded. "Today, we will be making omurice and a traditional breakfast. We'll start with the omurice." She led them into the kitchen where they all washed their hands and — in the case of Aizawa and Hitoshi — tied their hair back. "Omurice is typically faster and easier to make. It can be vegetarian or made with chicken. This is the chicken version."

She showed them how to stir-fry the chicken and rice — "Leftover rice from the previous night's dinner helps make the process easier and faster" — and season it with ketchup and soy sauce. The omelet part was even easier to make, as they simply scrambled up some eggs and turned them into a flat sheet that was placed on top of the chicken-rice mix.

"You can add ketchup and parsley now, as much as you want," Ryouri said.

"頂きます," everyone said before beginning to eat. ( _itadakimasu_ , thank you (for the meal)/I receive (this meal).)

"父, I bet mine's better than yours," Hitoshi muttered at his dad with a challenging grin. ( _chichi_ , father**.)

Aizawa glared at him and switched plates. "No, mine's better," he decided after taking a bite. "Kaminari would like this, though. It'd be an acceptable way to ask him out, I think."

Hitoshi made a sound like a strangled cat. "He doesn't know that I like him yet!"

"Better hurry up and tell him before my episode airs, then. You and I both know he watches this show." He smirked. Turning to Antoni, he explained, "He has a crush on one of his classmates, has for years, but still hasn't confessed. I'm taking matters into my own hands, now. He only came tonight because he heard from a few other classmates that the best way to win someone's heart was by cooking for them."

Antoni let out a laugh before trying to muffle himself. "Well, good luck, Hitoshi," he told the still-freaking-out boy.

Ryouri chuckled as well. "Omurice is very good but very simple, see? It doesn't take a lot of ingredients or time to make, making it a very good morning-rush breakfast. The more traditional breakfast you'll be learning, though, is a little bit more time consuming and requires more ingredients. It's really just a lot of small elements that combine into a full breakfast meal, though, so it's still quite easy to make."

The rice was easy enough to make, but adding natto spiced it up. The yakizakana would prove to be the most difficult to acquire and keep fresh if, in the future, Aizawa decided to make the meal frequently. Miso shiru was also incredibly simple, and the tsukemono, nori, and kobachi could very easily just be bought and stored for later use. It did take more time, but the results were quite satisfying.

"頂きます," everyone repeated.

Antoni turned to Aizawa. "So as you can see, these dishes are very easy to make and something your family would definitely appreciate. Whether they make it with you," he gestured to Hitoshi, "or simply eat it with you, it's a great bonding experience to share."

Aizawa nodded. "Tastes better than protein pouches," he admitted. "Thank you Ryouri-sensei for teaching us this." He bowed respectfully towards her.

She bowed back with a smile. "Of course. Thank you for coming and learning."

* * *

DAY 3: 外側を内側と同じくらい美しくする | Sotogawa o Uchigawa to Onaji Kurai Utsukushiku Suru | Making the Outside as Beautiful as the Inside

Eri accompanied Aizawa on his next phase of the Queer Eye makeover.

Jonathan waved to her excitedly. "Hi! My name's Jonathan! And who might you be?"

She hid behind her father's legs. "I'm Eri," she replied shyly.

"That's such a pretty name," he cooed. "Are you here to help your 父?"

She nodded.

"That's so awesome."

She blushed lightly and muttered, "I like your skirt. It's very pretty."

He swished it around. "Aww, thank you! Your dress is so super cute."

She smiled shyly up at him.

Looking at Aizawa, now, he asked playfully, "Are you ready to get a new look?"

He shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be," he sighed.

Jonathan led him to a salon chair and draped a white barber cape over him while Eri took a seat on one of the waiting room chairs. "When was the last time you got a professional haircut?"

Aizawa paused in thought. "About two years ago. I usually just cut it myself at home when it starts getting too long."

The enby hummed in acknowledgment. "It looks like it grows pretty fast, and it's rather thick. I remember you said that you try to bathe regularly, and I think getting your hair cut shorter will definitely help with that. As you probably know, and I know as well, long hair is a lot harder to maintain than short hair. I don't want to make it too short; the long _does_ look quite good on you, but I also think shortening it up will just help save you the time and energy that I know you prefer to spend elsewhere. If I made it long enough to pull back into a short ponytail, how would that make you feel?"

He considered the question for a moment. "That would be fine, I think."

Jonathan began to cut his long black locks. "I know you're a super busy person, always on the go, and another way to save time with cleaning yourself up is dry shampoo. It's quick and easy as well as cheap, and while I wouldn't recommend doing it all the time, I think on your more busy and hectic days, you can just default to that. You just spray some into your roots, wait a minute or two, and brush the powder out. It doesn't clean your hair as well as good ol' shampoo and conditioner, but it helps keep it from being so greasy."

"Hmm."

"That being said, I still want to wash your hair today, just because that's usually pretty nice and relaxing." They went to the hair washing seats, and Aizawa closed his eyes with a sigh as Jonathan gently and meticulously washed his now much shorter hair.

"Do you try to shave every day?" Jonathan asked as they returned to the salon chair. He blow-dried Aizawa's hair, very satisfied with the way it looked so far as he got the scissors back out.

"Yes. My facial hair also grows quite fast."

"Understandable. Even though it's pretty much just stubble, though, you should still try to take care of it. That's what this is for. It's both a facial moisturizer and a beard softener, which is super convenient. 'Cause if you get beard itch like I do, this is a blessing."

Aizawa let out a more interested sounding, "Hmm."

"And that's just two products to keep your face and hair nice and clean each day, with minimal effort." He finished the final trims with a flourish. "And if you wanna make yourself look especially put together, this cream can really help get rid of under-eye bags. Because while we may be dead on the inside, we don't have to let everyone else know that. _Violà_! How does he look, Eri?"

Her head popped up from the manga she was reading. When she saw her father's cleaned up appearance, her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open into a small "o." "He looks handsome," she said with a smile.

Aizawa ever so slightly pinked. When Jonathan turned his chair around, his eyes also widened in surprise. He'd forgotten just how much nicer his hair looked when treated by a professional. It still went a little below his chin, and when he checked, it still went into a small ponytail, just like Jonathan had promised. It framed his face almost beautifully, and, combined with the faint glow from the moisturizer and the lightening of his under-eye bags, he actually felt rather confident looking at himself. "I look good," he said in amazement.

"Good? Honey, you look _amazing_ ," Jonathan corrected with a proud grin.

Aizawa ducked his head to hide a smile. "I guess I do."

***

Eri was still tagging along as Aizawa went to meet up with Tan.

The fashion expert gasped upon seeing him. "Oh wow, you look fantastic!" His eyes then landed on Eri. He greeted her with a wide, friendly smile. "Why, hello there! I'm Tan. It's nice to meet you."

She hid behind her father's legs shyly but replied, "It's nice to meet you, Tan-san. My name is Eri."

Aizawa patted her head gently. "This man's going to help your father look as pretty as you," he told her in his usual monotone, but he gave her a small, fond smile.

Eri leaned out a little more. "Like the fairy in the stories Daddy reads us?"

"Yeah, like Cinderella's fairy godmother."

Tan had to cover his mouth to keep himself from cooing over how adorable she was. "Do you want to help me make your father look pretty?" he asked her.

She nodded excitedly.

"Wonderful! Let's go, then, shall we?"

The group entered a modest clothing store, definitely an improvement from what Aizawa usually wore but still inexpensive.

"Now, Mr. Aizawa, I understand that you are a frugal man who likes your clothing to be comfortable. Is that correct?"

He nodded with a grunt.

"Well, what I'm going to do is help you find a style that combines cheap comfort and style. While you definitely look good in black — and let's be real, everyone does — a little splash of color can go a very long way. Fun patterns especially can help liven up an outfit. Now, everything here is of good quality, but it's still very affordable. Miss Eri," he kneeled to be on her level, "what colors do you like?"

She thought for a moment. "Red," she decided. "And green. And also yellow."

Tan considered her answer seriously. "Let's go find some nice red, green, and yellow clothes for your father, yeah?"

Eri nodded vigorously. Leading the others now, she very carefully picked out a comfy red t-shirt, a soft green flannel, some dark-wash skinny jeans, and a fluffy yellow scarf.

Aizawa nodded approvingly of her choices, while Tan realized in horror that this outfit would make the other man look like a walking stoplight. Therefore, he grabbed a plain white t-shirt to go with the green flannel, a dark cardigan for the red shirt, and a grey peacoat to wear with the yellow scarf. He also snatched up a few more pairs of pants.

"Those were some very good choices, Miss Eri," Tan complimented.

The little girl practically beamed with pride, as did her father.

"Now, Mr. Aizawa, I want you to try on this outfit." He handed the other man the dark skinny jeans, white t-shirt, and green flannel.

He looked incredibly handsome when he came back out, both casual and well put together.

"Wow, you look stunning," Tan exclaimed.

"The pants are a little uncomfortable," Aizawa muttered awkwardly.

The fashion expert paused for a moment before pulling out a pair of softer, looser bottoms that were like the child of sweatpants and dress pants. "These might feel better," he offered.

He definitely looked more at ease the second time he exited the changing room.

Eri asked him, "Isn't the green shirt super soft? I thought you'd like the soft one."

Aizawa smiled gently at her and patted her head. "It's very nice. Thank you, Eri-chan. You chose well."

"Sorry about the other pants," she apologized, looking away. "I thought they'd be nicer because Hitoshi-nii wears them a lot."

"They were nice," he assured her. "Just not for me."

Tan turned to Eri and asked, "Want to see him try on the next outfit?"

She nodded eagerly, so Tan handed off the cardigan, red shirt, and a pair of looser jeans.

Tan whistled lowly when Aizawa came out again. "Not gonna lie, you look kind of hot," he said with a chuckle.

"It's very comfortable," the other man agreed.

Next was the peacoat, scarf, and a darker pair of loose jeans. "This one is more for the winter seasons, and you can pair the peacoat with any of the other outfits," Tan explained as Aizawa got changed. "Same goes with the cardigan, but I wouldn't recommend using the flannel with the red shirt or the yellow scarf."

He looked just as good in this outfit as he had the others.

"父, does this make you a model?" Eri asked, causing both men to laugh.

As Aizawa looked at himself in the mirror, he realized that he felt a lot more comfortable in his own skin than he had in a long time. They really were right about the wonders of dressing yourself up.

* * *

DAY 4: 自分を許すことは自分を愛することにつながる | Jibun o Yurusu Koto wa Jibun o Aisuru Koto ni Tsunagaru | Forgiving Yourself Leads to Loving Yourself

"Wow, you look great!" Karamo said in lieu of a greeting.

"Thank you," Aizawa muttered, looking a little embarrassed. He sat down with the other man on the sofa of a cat cafe. Immediately, a little Birman cat came to approach him. He petted the curious thing with a soft smile, and she hopped onto his lap with a satisfied purr.

Karamo smiled at the scene before putting on a more serious face. "I've heard you've been bringing your family with you to meet everyone else. I don't say it like it's a bad thing; it's not. However, this experience was supposed to be entirely for you."

"I know that," Aizawa muttered, running his fingers through the cat's long, soft fur. "You've all been very kind, but..."

"But what?" Karamo moved closer in a way that wouldn't invade the other's space. "Your family and friends speak so highly of you, but they also talk about how you rarely care for yourself. Do you maybe feel like you don't deserve that kind of care?"

Aizawa's fingers went still. "I'm... not sure. Maybe. That would make sense, though."

"Why?"

He was silent for a long while. "I know that I'm a very successful hero. I've saved countless lives over the years, and yet... At the same time, I've also failed so many people."

Karamo nodded in sympathy. "Is that why you push yourself as much as you do?" he asked, not unkindly.

"...I suppose so. I- I know I can't save everyone, but. Every time I'm just a little too slow, or not strong enough..."

Carefully, so as not to spook either the human or the cat, Karamo laid a gentle hand over Aizawa's. "I know so many people expect heroes to be perfect, and that you often begin to apply those same impossible standards to yourself, but you have to remember that you're human, too. You're allowed to take care of yourself the way you do other people. You're allowed to forgive yourself when you mess up, and you're allowed to grieve before you reach that point, too. You don't have to bear these burdens alone. You have so many people who love you. Your husband who's loved you since high school, your son who emulates you, your daughter who looks up to you, an entire class of twenty kids who you've inspired to become _heroes_. Your life is just as important as the lives you save, Aizawa Shouta."

The other man began blinking back tears, swallowing hard. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words got caught in his throat. The Birman sat up to nudge his face gently with her nose. She purred loudly and comfortingly as he began to silently cry into her fur.

"Can I hug you?" Karamo asked with a small smile.

Aizawa hesitated only a second before giving a shaky nod. He kept his hands running through the cat's fur as he allowed himself to be held. They remained in that position for what felt like hours, but was only about five minutes in reality.

The pro-hero pulled away slowly, wiping his eyes with his sleeves. "Thank you," he said, voice hoarse.

"Of course." Karamo smiled a little wider. "You know, Hana here is a very good emotional support cat. She's fairly young but very smart and well-trained. And I have the papers for her right here."

Aizawa looked at him with wide eyes. "B-but I'm always so busy. I don't think I could take care of her."

"We all talked with your husband and children about it, and they all agreed that they would help with that. Come on, you deserve something nice."

With shaking but unhesitating hands, Aizawa signed the adoption papers.

* * *

DAY 5: 家は心があるところ | Ie wa Kokoro ga Aru Tokoro | Home is Where the Heart Is

It was Aizawa's first day back at his own home. He nearly gasped as he crossed the threshold, and the Fab Five oohed and ahhed over his new look.

The soft couch was in the living room, along with a cat tree, cat bed, and a scattering of toys. Along the walls were vinyl records of old, American rock bands, and even pictures of Aizawa with his family. In the kitchen were some new pots, pans, plates, and other kitchenware. The fridge and freezer had also been stocked with ingredients for the meals he'd learned to make. In his bedroom, he found Hana the cat who eagerly greeted him with purrs and meows. There was a picture of him, Yamada, Kayama, and- Shirakumo. If he shed a few tears at the sight, that was no one's business but his.

"It looks wonderful, Bobby," he said softly as he returned to the living room.

Bobby gave him a big smile.

"Why don't you go put on one of the outfits we picked out," Tan encouraged excitedly. "Jonathan, you really did well with him."

"He already looks so much more alive," Antoni agreed.

"Aww, stop, you're making me blush," Jonathan laughed.

Then Aizawa stepped out, dressed in the loose jeans, red shirt, and cardigan with a small but confident smile on his face. The Fab Five immediately began to applaud him.

"You look so nice!" Jonathan squealed.

"Loving the confidence," Karamo agreed with a gentle smile.

"You know," Aizawa started, silencing everyone, "when I first started this, I was pretty convinced that it wasn't going to work. At least not the way everyone intended it to. You were all so patient and kind and understanding, and I'm surprised to say, I think you really helped me. So thank you."

"Can we hug you now?" Jonathan asked.

The Pro Hero looked away but held his arms out with a faint blush. Everyone instantly embraced him, complimenting him and reassuring him.

After the group hug dissolved, Antoni took him aside in the kitchen one last time. "So, you said you were planning brunch for your family today? Do you remember how to make everything?"

Aizawa nodded confidently. "I'm going to do omurice, I think."

He laid a hand on his shoulder. "They'll love it. You've got this."

After a few more check-ins from everyone, it was time for the Fab Five to leave. They gave Aizawa one last hug before returning to their base.

Kiko and Antoni worked together to make omurice for the rest of the guys as they settled down to watch the Aizawa-Yamada family unite for brunch.

"頂きます," they all chorused before tucking in.

"Ooh, he's making the omurice, now," Jonathan pointed out.

Antoni watched him carefully, nodding proudly at the finished meal. "It looks good. His family's going to _love_ it."

The car with Yamada, Hitoshi, and Eri pulled up and dropped them off. With a kind of nervous excitement, they made their way back to their apartment and opened the doors.

Yamada and Eri gasped as their eyes fell on the sheer homeliness of the place, Hitoshi just standing there with a dropped jaw.

"Holy shit!" the boy exclaimed, though, upon seeing his father.

Yamada not-so-subtly gave his husband bedroom eyes, and Eri just giggled happily. Aizawa pinked under the attention and praise.

"Babe, you look... _Damn_ ," the blond said.

"Mm, I agree," Bobby nodded before giggling a little with the others.

"Oh my god, and you're cooking, too?!" Yamada exclaimed. " _Shouta. Babe_."

Aizawa just chuckled and proceeded to place the omelets over the chicken-rice. He quickly placed a kiss against his husband's cheek. "Happy Anniversary, Hizashi," he muttered softly.

"He didn't say it was going to be his anniversary!" Jonathan exclaimed.

"But what a romantic way to spend it," Tan declared with a dropped jaw. Everyone else slightly mirrored his expression.

"That really is sweet of him," Kiko agreed with a loving sigh.

Meanwhile, Eri found Hana and began to play with her, Hitoshi joining in with a soft smile.

In the kitchen, the two lovers embraced, giving each other soft, secret smiles, saying, "I love you."

The Fab Five smiled tearfully at the couple. "They're so sweet," someone murmured happily.

"I'm so happy for them," someone else agreed.

"It looks like they're all finally happy."

FIN.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Author/translator's notes: This form of "to love" (可愛がる/kawaigaru) can be used colloquially and ironically to mean "to be tough on/torment/train harshly" in this form "可愛がってやる/kawaigatteyaru," like tough love and is likely the way Aizawa would tell his students that he loves him. It's not super important to the fic but it's important to me that you know this.
> 
> (Good lord, take a shot every time I say "the other man.") I feel like this is definitely chock-full of plot holes and issues but like...it's...fine. _I_ like it, at least. :P
> 
> Again, to everyone who knew this was a thing that was happening, I'm so sorry for how late it is. 😩😭 Happy Valentine's Day!! 💗

**Author's Note:**

> *Author/translator's notes: This form of "to love" (可愛がる/kawaigaru) can be used colloquially and ironically to mean "to be tough on/torment/train harshly" in this form "可愛がってやる/kawaigatteyaru," like tough love and is likely the way Aizawa would tell his students that he loves him. It's not super important to the fic but it's important to me that you know this.
> 
> **"Chichi" and "Haha" are actually the more formal ways of addressing your parents. They don't sound it, but it's true. The more informal ways of saying dad and mom are "お父さん" and "お母さん," otousan and okaasan. Or you can add "ちゃん," chan, to the ends. ^.^ Anyway, I fully headcanon that Shouta is chichi and Hizashi is dad to their kids. Pry that from my cold, dead fingers.
> 
> ***
> 
> (Good lord, take a shot every time I say "the other man.") My biggest fear is the Fab Five finding this. How the hell am I supposed to characterize real-life human people. Forget spiders, the impending doom of humanity, and dying alone; imagine them reading this and NOT LIKING IT. Imagine them DISAPPROVING of what I've written. I would fucking die.
> 
> Again, to everyone who knew this was a thing that was happening, I'm so sorry for how late it is. 😩😭 Happy Valentine's Day!! 💗


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